Why the Pros of Training as an Adult Outweigh the Cons

There are two main reasons I decided to start training again when I was 29 years old. First, I noticed my mobility at work and during recreation was at an all-time low. I had been lifting regularly, sometimes almost every day, in order to prepare for some intense ski trips. Over this course of time, I noticed that through some of my manual labor-based side jobs, I was basically useless on the ground, and even though I was strong in the gym, I couldn’t move around with any agility when needed to accomplish something on the ground, like work under a vehicle or work on a home. 



Secondly, my neighbor, in her late 60s, slipped on some ice and was killed. My dad's family has known her since he was a young man, and my family has known her for decades. Yes, she’s lived a full life, but if she had known or trained her mind to be aware of how to fall, maybe, just maybe, that injury's significance could have been lessened or even prevented. I am not here saying "JuJutsu is a cure-all" (even though the often overused phrase “jujutsu saved my life” can have some relevance), but it does offer a multitude of positives. A strong sense of self-awareness, self-preservation, and mindfulness, along with strategies to keep oneself in shape and mobile in some of the most precarious situations life can throw at you, With the knowledge of how to fall, how to maintain balance when walking or when footing is unsure, and how to roll, jump, or leap on to or out of the way of something, you can minimize damage to your body and allow you to offer much-needed guidance and protection to those around you. Like I said, JuJutsu is not a cure-all, but it does come with a mindset that will enable you to accomplish a great many tasks. 

This is James from Black Tide, and remember to always think deeper.